Bacardi has had a “recent change of strategy” which will see its spiced rum sub-brand Oakheart become an independent brand.

Speaking exclusively to DI, Fabio Di Giammarco, VP of Bacardi, said: “We will decouple Oakheart from Bacardi so it can own its own space. Oakheart is a magnificent liquid and [decoupling] it allows us to play against other spiced rums without getting our core brand and business dirty.

“Oakheart has a strong proposition and campaign and we think it can win that way, rather than just depending on the bat [the Bacardi logo]. It will be a phased approach but Oakheart will eventually take its own space.”

Di Giammarco outlined how the new Bacardi strategy would pull on the diversity of its portfolio to “play across different occasions, segments and need states in a much more efficient way”.

He added: “Bacardi focuses on the liberation need state - it’s the party moment. Oakheart will be focusing on bonding as an occasion, which is more wind-down, when you meet with your friends - the beer occasion. This is where Oak & Coke has an interesting role to play."